On the occasion of the 90th birth anniversary of the late
President Kim Il Sung which falls on April 15, "The People's Daily" of
China in its Internet edition in English carried reminiscences of Kim Il Sung
authored by a Chinese career diplomat Zhang Tingyan, titled "Indelible
Memories: Close Bonds of Kim Il Sung with Chinese Leaders." The
commemorative reminiscences refer to the Korean leader's close relations with
China and its leaders such as Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai, Deng Xiaoping and Jiang
Zemin, and to his personality. The following is the full text. Subtitles are
ours--Ed.

Unforgettable memories

One must have many unforgettable memories of things
experienced in his past. I was fortunate as I was favored in my early life as a
diplomat and interpreter with opportunities to see President Kim Il Sung many
times.

Since April 1950, President Kim Il Sung had made over 30
visits to China during his lifetime and these had brought him into close
relationship and profound friendship with Chinese leaders of three generations.
His lifelong contacts and association with Chinese leaders, as I have come to
know, have formed indelible and lasting memories in my heart.

Ties with Mao Zedong & Zhou Enlai

In October 1970, China put an end to its decade-long chaos
which ravaged the Chinese land during the "cultural revolution." Kim
Il Sung made an informal visit to China, put up at Diaoyutai in Beijing.
Chairman Mao went in person to see this Korean leader soon after his arrival.
The two leaders had a long handshake when they met downstairs at Building No.18
of the state guesthouse in Diaoyutai. That day the two leaders had a very long
talk and a profound exchange of views on developments of the international
situation prevailing at the time, which continued into the feasting time. The
following day also saw Premier Zhou Enlai making a call on the Korean leader at
the guesthouse. They had a long talk and an exchange of views on wide-ranging
issues of the time. As the day happened to be the 25th anniversary day of the
founding of the Workers' Party of Korea, Premier Zhou Enlai saw to it when he
was told this that all possible preparations were made. A grand banquet was
hosted in honor of President Kim Il Sung and his retinue at the Great Hall of
the People in Beijing to mark the great day of the Korean Workers' Party. After
the "cultural revolution" scourge came to an end, President Kim Il
Sung was seen again back on his China "family visits," as he had made
in the years before the "cultural revolution"--at least once or twice
or more every year. He would go to make a China visit to renew his friendship
with Chairman Mao Zedong and Premier Zhou Enlai in Beijing.

In April 1975, President Kim Il Sung was invited by the CPC
Central Committee and the Chinese Government to make a formal visit to China.
Deng Xiaoping, then vice chairman of the CPC Central Committee, was entrusted
with the duty of playing host to him. Deng went to the airport to meet this
great Korean friend of the Chinese people upon his arrival. Back in the mid
1960s, Kim Il Sung and Deng had once met in Pyongyang. Then, 10 years later,
they again happily met in Beijing. Deng accompanied him and went with his guest
directly to see Chairman Mao waiting at Zhongnanhai and Premier Zhou Enlai who
was then hospitalized. Deng gave a toast to the Korean state leader at a grand
banquet and accompanied the guest on a visit to Nanjing and on a tour of the
Yangzi River. But people didn't expect that Mao and Zhou would pass away soon
after meeting their Korean guest for the last time in Beijing.

After Mao and Zhou

Kim Il Sung was all tears on learning of the death of Chairman
Mao and Premier Zhou Enlai. He went in person to the Chinese Embassy to express
his heartfelt condolences over the death of the two Chinese leaders. In
consoling the Chinese peoplefor the dead, he saw to it that a bronze statue was
erected in memory of Premier Zhou in Hamheung Chemical Fertilizer Factory Zhou
had visited. After completion of the statue, Kim Il Sung specially invited Deng
Yingchao (Zhou Enlai's widow) to visit and joined her in the unveiling ceremony
of the statue. There have thus far been no other statues on the Korean land but
this one to Premier Zhou Enlai that has been erected in memory of a departed
foreigner.

Deng Xiaoping

September 9, 1978 was the day to mark the 30th anniversary of
the founding of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). A Chinese
Party and government delegation was organized under Vice Chairman Deng Xiaoping.
That day Deng, as head of the Chinese delegation, left for Pyongyang to extend
his congratulations. A rousing welcome ceremony was held upon his arrival with
the Chinese delegation in Pyongyang. Accompanied by Vice President Pak Song Chol,
Deng with his retinue was driven directly from the airport to the Presidential
Palace of Kim Il Sung and received a warm welcome by President Kim Il Sung who
had been waiting already at the gate of his palace. Kim Il Sung embraced Deng
and shook hands with him most warmly and hosted a luncheon in honor of Deng.
Many foreign guests were found there, including some state leaders who were
there to attend the Korean celebrations. But to the Korean leader, Deng's visit
was special as he saw to it that Deng was specially arranged to be by his side
on every occasion to make his presence known to the public on those gala days.
Kim Il Sung had had a day out specially to have long talks and an exchange of
views with Deng. Moreover, a warm grand welcome was held when Deng visited
Hamheung, and he was greeted by over 100,000 local people, who lined the
streets. On the day of the departure for home of the Chinese delegation, Kim Il
Sung went out specially to meet Deng at the guesthouse to bid farewell to him.
At the parting, Deng on his part didn't forget to request Kim to make a trip to
his birthplace in Sichuan Province. In September 1982, as promised four years
before, Kim Il Sung visited China, when Deng was once again in company with Kim
Il Sung on board a train bound for Chengdu in Sichuan.

1990s: Jiang Zemin's Era

In March 1990, General Secretary Jiang Zemin made a formal
visit to the DPRK at the invitation of President Kim Il Sung. He was warmly
welcomed and was received with great hospitality. In October 1991, Kim Il Sung
again visited China. Then, Deng Xiaoping was advanced in age and was in complete
retirement. However, in spite of his old age, he met Kim Il Sung and had more
than an hour's talk with his Korean friend. General Secretary Jiang hosted a
welcoming banquet in honor of President Kim Il Sung on his arrival. He had
accompanied him on a tour of Yangzhou. Though Kim Il Sung was in his eighties,
he still showed great interest in making a visit to Nanjing and Jinan and a tour
of Mt. Taishan and Qufu. He spoke highly of the great achievements China had
made in socialist construction. Before departing for home, the Korean leader had
left word that he would make a new visit to China when he got time. But no one
expected then that the Korean leader had made the last visit to China.

Kim Il Sung Loved China

Kim Il Sung cherished a deep love for Chinese culture and art.
Whenever a Chinese art troupe was visiting Korea, he would have time out at its
performance. Once when a Chinese art troupe went to Korea from China's Shanxi
Province staging the art piece "Tale of the Silk Road," President Kim
Il Sung spoke highly of its high ideological and artistic level on which the
work was created and staged. Whenever he was in Beijing, if his time allowed,
his Chinese host would arrange special art performances to entertain him. He
would find great enjoyment in Chinese dances and Beijing operas.

Modest and Respectable Korean Leader

Kim Il Sung was a modest and respectable state leader, with a
kind heart for the people. He inquired me oftentimes about things in China and
about my work as a diplomat and interpreter on our bus ride. Whenever he found a
question or problem he would check things out from every side. Every time before
ending his visit, he would receive the whole working group on the Chinese side
and had a photo taken with them. Late in the 1980s, I worked for the Chinese
Embassy in Pyongyang. Kim Il Sung used to say hello to me on every occasion when
I accompanied a Chinese delegation going to meet Kim Il Sung, and these have
become lasting memories to me to this day.

[Zhang Tingyan was a diplomat at
the Chinese embassy in Pyongyang in the 1980s and a Chinese ambassador to South
Korea from 1992 to 1998.]